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In 1727, a young man in Philadelphia began organizing weekly meetups at a local tavern to discuss and debate questions of politics, philosophy, and morality. This club—called the Junto, after the Spanish word for “council” or “assembly”—consisted of 12 members, each of whom was required to pledge that he “love[d] truth for truth’s sake” and that he would dedicate himself to the improvement of both himself and his community.
“We had from the beginning made it a rule to keep our institution a secret,” the group’s convener later recalled, but “the Junto was found so useful, and afforded such satisfaction to the members, that several were desirous of introducing their friends.”
The Junto, created by a 21-year-old Benjamin Franklin, would go on to change the course of history.
Painting by Charles E. Mills of Benjamin Franklin opening the first subscription library in Philadelphia. (Illustration by The Dispatch)
